Gun sights are devices fixed to a gun which a shooter uses to aim the gun with the goal of correctly aligning the path of the fired projectile to the required target. The types most commonly used are notch sights, peep sights, graticule sights and telescopic sights.
Notch sights are the most commonly used type of firearm sight. An example of a notch sight is given in FIG. 2, composed of a notch sight block 4 and a front sight component 1 (also known as a bead), which is spaced apart from the notch sight block 4. To use a notch sight, the user aligns the notch sight block 4 and the front sight component 1 with the intended target behind the aligned notch sight block 4 and front sight component 1, which aligns the barrel of the firearm at the intended target. Notch sights have the disadvantage of obscuring the target picture, and at longer ranges obscuring even the entire target itself. This forces the user to zero the gun in away from the intended target, above the aiming point, because if the user aimed directly at the intended target, they could not see what is “behind the front sight”. This is easy to see from FIGS. 2 and 3, where notch sight block 4 and front sight component 1, when properly aligned as shown, obstruct much of the target field of view, including the intended target 15. For avoidance of doubt, FIG. 3 shows the prior art notch sight of FIG. 2 superimposed on a sight according to the present invention.
Notch sights are also slow to align, and force the user to focus their eyes on the rear sight or the front sight, rather than the intended target. In low light conditions, notch sights need to be illuminated, which further reduces the user's ability to focus on the intended target.
Peep hole sights, which are used mostly in target competitions, need to be very close to the shooter's eye, so using them on handguns is very difficult, and they are slow to use and aim with in combat situations.
During movement and rapid fire situations, it is very difficult to keep any of these sights properly aligned with a target.
It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. It is a further object of the invention to provide a sight that is easy to use and master to shoot accurately and precisely at targets located at distances that are usually considered too long for the prior art, especially from handguns, during both rapid and slow fire situations.